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“Rich jewel colours are big for Christmas 2019,” says Michelle Koller, of Tequila Kola. “Turquoise, aquamarine, amethyst, emerald and rose quartz with touches of gold are the latest colours in home fashion.”

Jungle-inspired colours are in vogue, according to John McLennan, founder and executive chairman of Indigo Living. “Purple and simmering greens from tropical birds, leopard and zebra prints. Something to bring excitement and colour to your home and tree.”

Some creative thinking and a paintbrush may be all you need to incorporate new colours into your existing pieces.

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“Work with what you already have; sometimes some older pieces can be repurposed with a bit of DIY,” advises Coronado-Guerra. “Some tired ornaments can be painted all white, blue or silver and given a new life. It is fine to mix what you already have in your ornament box, but be selective, and add adornments in blue, white, clear or silver.”

For the Christmas table, a base or cloth made of natural fabrics such as cotton, silk, jute or sisal can form a natural backdrop to more glamorous elements such as velvet, glass, metallic and feathers. Choose simple flowers in low vases so as not to interrupt the view across the table, advises Coronado-Guerra, and place plates on wood or sisal mats to add texture.

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Crafting and creating your own decorations from natural materials can be a wonderful way to connect with the Christmas spirit, suggests Catherine Borse, head of social media and marketing at Liquid Interiors, an eco-friendly interior design company.

“For materials to decorate we would say that a natural look using foraged pine cones, dried spices such as cinnamon sticks and dried fruits such as oranges are a wonderful way to decorate your tree and home,” she says. “They look beautiful and also provide a natural, Christmas atmosphere and heady scent.”

For candles, check the ingredients to know what you’re burning, Borse says.

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“Candles are, of course, a traditional and extremely atmospheric way to create an attractive scene or ambience in your home, but be careful about what they contain. Many candles are made with paraffin, which burns giving off toxic – and some carcinogenic – fumes. Wicks can contain heavy metals – such as lead – that enter the air, while artificial scents and dyes can give off unhealthy chemicals. Buy beeswax, soy-based or naturally made candles that list the ingredients, to ensure you are not compromising your air quality.”

Candles made from eco-friendly, natural, 100 per cent-beeswax, such as the handmade products offered by local brand Carroll & Chan, give a clean and naturally golden burn. Its Christmas candles have wooden wicks from FSC-certified renewable forests and are packed in recycled glass jars and plastic-free packaging.

Creative thinking can also help when deciding what to do about the Christmas tree, often the focal point of Christmas in the home. “You could also make a decorative tree hanging for a wall using driftwood if you are short on space, or if you really want to have a living tree, then buying one in a pot that can be kept alive throughout the year is another option,” says Borse.

“In lieu of trees, some may opt for larger wreaths, nativity sets and even decorative cones of assorted sizes and materials,” says Coronado-Guerra.

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If you must have a tree, then shop around and check out the materials before making a choice. While most artificial Christmas trees are made from newly made, or virgin, PVC or PE plastic, others, such as those at Oncor Recycled Trees are made from 100 per cent recycled PVC plastic.

“By using recycled plastic, Oncor minimises the environmental impact of our Christmas trees as well as upcycling a commonly disposed-of material at the same time,” says Chester Chan, executive director of Oncor Tree, Hong Kong.

The company has more than 200 tree styles and sizes and they last for 30 to 50 years.

“A large part of the environmental impact of Christmas tree occurs during the transport of the tree to the consumer’s home,” says Chan.

“By offering the Christmas tree with the longest product life, Oncor significantly reduces the overall environmental impact of Christmas tree ownership,” he adds.

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